Shinzo Abe visits five Central Asia nations

The Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe has started a tour of five central Asian countries this week. The week-long trip will take him to Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan. A Japanese government official says his trip is part of efforts to strengthen economic relations with the resource-rich region.

Abe will begin by visiting Kazakhstan to promote the export of Japanese nuclear plant technology and equipment. At the final destination, Uzbekistan, Abe plans to pledge Japan’s assistance in developing that nation’s communications infrastructure.

Abe initially planned the trip for late August, but had to reschedule the trip after the current Diet session was extended to late September to deliberate the controversial national security bills. His trip would be the first by a Japanese Prime Minister to Central Asia since Junichiro Koizumi visited Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan in August 2006.